Harrisburg Update
The PA Legislature’s summer recess will end in September - see below for the fall voting session schedule. As a reminder, the dates in November are used for farewell/retirement speeches and electing caucus leadership for the next legislative term. There have not been any significant votes after the General Election in years.
Senate Session Days:
House Session Days:
The special elections to fill the seats vacated by the July resignations of Reps Donna Bullock (D-Philadelphia) and Stephen Kinsey (D-Philadelphia) will be held on Tuesday, September 17. Since their resignations, the House party split has been 100 D’s and 101 R’s. However, one House Republican (Rep Joe Kerwin from Dauphin County) is currently on military leave. So, essentially, the House is tied at 100-100. Due to a provision in the state House operating rules, Democrats retain control of the chamber, since the rules define the “majority party” as “the political party that won the greater number of elections for the 203 seats in the House of Representatives in the general election preceding the term of service that began on the first day of December next after the general election.”
Film Production Tax Credit Update
The Commonwealth of PA and the Department of Community and Economic Development released its economic impact of the Film Production Tax Credit Program FY2023-24 Report (pa.gov) in August. The department revamped the formatting for its annual report resulting in a more informative and vibrant product.
In the 2023-24 fiscal year, the department awarded $143.7 million in film production tax credit approvals to 50 productions, creating or supporting 15,722 jobs and injecting $530,463,617 in direct expenditures into Pennsylvania’s economy. When including the indirect and induced economic impacts from the IMPLAN model within this report, that number grows to an estimated $841,883,604. Based on the tax credits allocated this year, for every $1 invested, $3.69 is returned to Pennsylvania’s economy in direct expenditures. When including indirect and induced impacts, that return grows to $5.85 for every $1 invested. These figures do not include impacts on tourism or population growth, which also project substantial increases to Pennsylvania’s Return on Investment (ROI).
The report also acknowledged a need to modernize the film tax credit program to attract and support projects of all levels and evolve as the entertainment industry grows. The report recommends implementing a hybrid model, and an expanded multi-program approach that attracts, retains, and trains personnel.
In the bustling landscape of Pennsylvania's film industry, collaboration and support from local businesses play a pivotal role in nurturing its growth and vitality. One such example is the remarkable partnership between Snyder's Ace Hardware and the Pennsylvania Film Industry Association (PAFIA). As a beacon of community engagement and commitment, Snyder's Ace Hardware has stepped forward, not just as a supplier of goods, but as a staunch supporter of the cinematic arts flourishing in the Keystone State.
Today, we have the privilege of delving into the insightful perspective of Dan Markert, B2B & Commercial Sales & Account Manager and Co-Store Manager from Snyder's Ace Hardware, who graciously lent his time to shed light on the significance of his experiences in working hand-in-hand with Pennsylvania's vibrant film industry. With a shared vision of fostering creativity, economic growth, and cultural enrichment, Dan's reflections offer invaluable insights into the symbiotic relationship between local businesses and the cinematic world, encapsulating the spirit of collaboration that defines Pennsylvania's film landscape. Join us as we explore the intersection of commerce and creativity through the lens of Snyder's Ace Hardware's journey alongside PAFIA.
Dan’s Story:
Our story with the film industry began on a random Wednesday night in the fall of 2015. A plumber, unbeknownst to us that they were working on a film in our area at the time, came in to get a bunch of copper pipe fittings and pieces of copper pipe to finish a job. He asked me if we had a house account application, and we gave it to him to take back to his team. He was happy we were right down the road and had pretty much everything they needed. Little did we know that this would be the start of a beneficial and exciting relationship between our local mom and pop hardware store and the Pennsylvania film and television industry. We had never known that there was an enormous sound stage ten minutes up the road from us, and that this would be a regular place we would frequent just a few months and years later.
This first production we only sold them about $2,200 worth of supplies, but that kicked off something that would lead us to a six-month production period out spending our top two accounts in a calendar year. The Pennsylvania Film Industry has been an exciting ride for us and allowed us to meet so many great people and watch them create some amazing feats using simple household and construction products. Watching them work is art.
We’ve supported big projects like the Creed spinoff movies to the thrilling tales by the mastermind, M. Knight Shamalan to more whimsical projects to “Dispatches to Elsewhere.” We’ve also helped support projects like “Mare of Easttown” that captivated the country and put a spotlight on the culture of the Greater Philadelphia area known as Delaware County (or more commonly known as DELCO). Hearing actors like Kate Winslet and others imitate a DELCO accent was like music to so many residents’ ears (which would later spawn the hilarious SNL Skit “Murdur Durdur.” So, few times are we able to show our friends and family how our simple acts of selling a screw, tool, gallon of paint, and so many other things, impact the world, but the Pennsylvania Film and Television industry changes that. We can tell them about actual projects and show them how what we sell helps to make these projects come to life.
We’ve been able to support various departments like the scenic, construction, set dressers/decorators, special effects, location, and more. We’ve done everything from filling the food trucks with propane to renting out our store front displays to recreate a hardware store for a project just to name a few. We have so many memorable experiences that have shown us the true meaning behind the saying “movie magic.”
We hope to continue to be a trusted and supportive resource for the Pennsylvania Film and Television industries and watch the potential for our great state and cities become a predominant place to continue to make some amazing projects and support all the great Pennsylvanians who work on them.
What specific products or services does Snyder Ace Hardware provide to support the film industry's needs in Pennsylvania?
We supply a lot of hardware such as drywall screws, nuts, bolts and more. We also supply them with things like drill bits, blades, and other tools. We also supply the scenic department with paint, spackle, structolite, dry masonry colors, and many other supplies. For the set decorators and dressers, we’ve supplied everything from doorknobs and hinges, to tarps, products to set up a store front and more. We also supply the location department, teamsters, and other management departments with things like heaters, propane fuel, and more.
How has collaborating with the film industry impacted Snyder Ace Hardware's business growth and visibility within the local community?
Our local customers have become intrigued with us helping out the local film industry, and we’ve also kind of spread our reach by being put in contact with other organizations and businesses that would have maybe been outside our scope or initial area.
Can you share any notable experiences or success stories of working with film productions in Pennsylvania?
Looking ahead, what opportunities do you see for Snyder Ace Hardware to continue leveraging the film industry to drive business growth and community impact in Pennsylvania?
The projects and productions we have helped out over the years, sometimes are double our top customers combined and we may have two to three a year. Our hope is to continue to support all the local teams and productions, and watch our business grow. It has really helped our in-store Business-to-Business (B2B) department grow and gain resources to not only support the local film and television industry, but also allow us to better serve our other customers. We hope to be able to support other departments within the productions that come to Pennsylvania and become a regular and reliable source and vendor for them.
PAFIA would like to thank Dan and Snyder’s Ace Hardware for sharing their story with us and for the generous donation to the organization.
More information regarding Snyder’s Ace Hardware can be found here.
After a month-long delay, Governor Josh Shapiro has signed the $45.5 billion FY24 budget into law. The bill makes important investments in several key areas, including education, community and economic development, indigent defense, infrastructure, and resources for law enforcement and first responders, among others. While both chambers of the General Assembly had approved a $45.5 billion spending plan by early July, the budget was not able to be officially finalized until Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) called the chamber back into session for Thursday, August 3, in order to avoid further delays in critical state education and human services payments.
The primary sticking point was a $100 million line item for a controversial school voucher program — dubbed “lifeline scholarships” by proponents — which Governor Shapiro agreed to veto in order to persuade House Democrats to pass the budget back on July 5, despite having worked across the aisle to help create it. This week, Governor Shapiro honored that line-item veto commitment and also agreed to reserve a $1.1 billion portion of the spending plan for the time being for continued negotiations among lawmakers. This means funding will be delayed for mental health grants, public defenders’ offices, a home repairs program, “Level Up” funds targeted to the state’s poorest schools, and hospital emergency relief.
Legislative leaders acknowledged the need to continue negotiations on budget-related “code” bills as these pieces of legislation specifically dictate how money in certain general fund line items are distributed. Code bills sometimes also include policy changes that are negotiated by all four caucuses and the Governor. There is no timeline for when these budget-related bills might pass. Historically, changes to the Entertainment Production Tax Credit program have taken place in a budget-related code. This is the case for both funding changes and programmatic changes. So while some of the FY 2023-24 has been completed, our advocacy to increase the film tax credit continues as decisions on this program have not yet been finalize.
In other news…Democratic state Representative Sara Innamorato resigned from the PA House on Wednesday, July 19, in order to focus on her campaign for Allegheny County executive, which she is favored to win. This marks the third time this year that House Democrats will be forced to defend their majority, as the chamber is now tied once again at 101-101. Lindsay Powell has been selected as the Democratic nominee to fill the now-vacant House District 21 seat for a special election that will take place on Tuesday, September 19, before the General Assembly reconvenes in the fall. If elected, Powell would be the first Black woman to represent the district. The Allegheny County Republican Committee selected Erin Connolly Autenreith as their nominee for the special election. Autenreith, of Shaler Township, is a Realtor who also chairs the Shaler Township Republican Committee.
Below is the fall session schedule that has been announced by both chambers.
Senate
September 18, 19, 20 October 2, 3, 4, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 November 13, 14, 15 December 11, 12, 13
House
September 26, 27 October 2, 3, 4, 16, 17, 18, 30, 31 November 1, 13, 14, 15
Meet our 2023-2024 Board of Directors!
The Pennsylvania Film Industry Association (PAFIA) is thrilled to introduce our distinguished Board of Directors dedicated to advocating and lobbying for the Film Industry Incentive. With their extensive industry knowledge and expertise, this esteemed group will work tirelessly to ensure the continued support and advancement of the Film Industry Incentive, promoting its benefits for the filmmaking community and the economy as a whole.
Meet Our Board of Directors
The collective knowledge, industry connections, and dedication of our Board of Directors make them an exceptional team to lead our lobbying efforts. Their objective is to engage with policymakers, legislators, and industry stakeholders to educate them about the benefits of the Film Industry Incentive and foster its growth.
The Film Industry Incentive plays a pivotal role in stimulating local economies, creating jobs, and attracting high-quality productions to our region. By advocating for its continuation and expansion, we aim to foster a thriving film industry that boosts economic development, supports local talent, and enriches our cultural landscape.
We are confident that, with the guidance and commitment of our exceptional Board of Directors, we can create a robust coalition of supporters to show our legislators the support to keep and expand the Film Industry Incentive to $300 Million.
Please join us in welcoming our esteemed Board of Directors as they embark on this crucial mission to champion the Film Industry Incentive.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact info@pafia.org.
Together, let's amplify the voice of the film industry and ensure a bright future for filmmaking!
The Pennsylvania Film Industry Association (PAFIA)
General Assembly
With Republican Michael Stender’s defeat of Democrat Trevor Finn and Libertarian Elijah Scretching in House District 108 in Central Pennsylvania and Democrat Heather Boyd’s victory over Republican Katie Ford in House District 163 in Delaware County, special elections have once again secured Democratic control of the chamber. Over the course of the campaigns, Pennsylvania Democrats spent more than $1 million in hopes of defending their narrow majority. The races have earned national attention, with President Joe Biden endorsing Democrat Heather Boyd.
And there are likely even more special elections on the horizon, as current state Representatives Sara Innamorato and John Galloway have good chances of winning their November general elections for Allegheny County Executive and district court judge, respectively.
While the special elections stole much of the focus at the beginning of the month, both chambers of the General Assembly have been hard at work passing legislation. Democrats in the state House have taken the opportunity to flex their progressive muscles by passing an expansion of protections for LGBTQ+ people, a guarantee to the right to organized labor and collective bargaining in Pennsylvania’s constitution, a “red flag” bill that would allow law enforcement to temporarily seize firearms from a person deemed an immediate threat to themselves or others and a bill to close the “gun show loophole,” and a bill to broaden the definition of “ethnic intimidation.” Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled Senate passed legislation to ban safe-injection sites, among other legislation. Bills passed in each chamber likely face uphill battles in the other chamber.
The state House also now has a new caucus — the Pennsylvania Progressive Caucus is comprised of a group of 34 state representatives seeking to halt political corruption and curb the impact of corporate interests on legislation.
Looking ahead to June, the Legislature will turn their attention to budget negotiations in order to pass a FY 2023-24 general fund budget before the end of the Commonwealth’s fiscal year on June 30th. Today, the PA Department of Revenue announced that fiscal year-to-date general fund collections are $1.2 billion, or 2.9 percent, above estimate.
Governor Shapiro
Governor Josh Shapiro kicked off the month by signing the first bill of his administration — a bill that requires insurers to cover preventative breast and ovarian cancer screenings to women who are considered high-risk at no additional cost.
May also saw the confirmation of several of Governor Shapiro’s cabinet nominees, including Mike Carroll as transportation secretary, Rick Siger as community and economic development secretary, Jason Kavulich as aging secretary, Russell Redding as secretary of agriculture. Governor Shapiro’s pick for secretary of state, Al Schmidt, is still undergoing a multi-hearing confirmation process.
PAFIA Engagement
We continue to work with the four film industry caucus chairs in our efforts to have the film production tax credit increased to $300 million in next year’s budget. As the pace of the legislative session picks up, our outreach to legislators and staff will become more nuisance as we filter through all the “noise” in Harrisburg to ensure this budget request is top of mind. The Cozen team will be bringing David Haddad to Harrisburg for some targeted meetings and we will remain engaged with other industry stakeholders to ensure a unified advocacy effort.
We open this month’s summary by giving a huge round of applause to the PAFIA members that traveled to Harrisburg on Monday, May 1 for the film industry legislative reception. We had over 60 elected officials and staff stop by to learn more about the film production incentive and the economic benefits it provides the Commonwealth. With the leadership of our four film caucus chairs and the support of industry stakeholders, we had over 100 people attended the event – a huge success! Thank you letters will be sent to all the elected officials who attended and we will remain in close contact with them as budget negotiations begin in earnest later this month.
In legislative news for this past month, the State Senate and House Appropriations Committees’ hearings regarding Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed FY24 budget concluded in mid-April, kicking off this year’s budget negotiations process in earnest. The deadline for the General Assembly to pass the budget is June 30, 2023.
Both chambers have had a busy two weeks as they were in session the last week of April and the first week of May. The House passed legislation expanding anti-discrimination protections (HB 300), address worker misclassification in the construction industry (HB 413) and proposed workers’ right amendment to the state constitution (HB 950). The Senate passed a bill (SB 671) that would limit the City of Philadelphia’s ability to impose a commuter tax on people who work remotely.
During this same time, Governor Shapiro signed his first bill into law as Act 1 of 2023 which requires insurers to cover the cost of early-detection genetic testing to screen for breast cancer. The Senate also approved three of Gov. Josh Shapiro’s cabinet nominees yesterday, with Mike Carroll confirmed as transportation secretary, Rick Siger confirmed as community and economic development secretary and Jason Kavulich as the state’s secretary of aging.
Looking ahead, the Senate will be in session on May 8, 9, and 10 while the House will be in session on May 22, 23, and 24. Both chambers have a busy June schedule planned. As a reminder, on May 16, there will be two special elections to fill state House vacancies happening on primary election day. One is being held in the Philly suburb’s 163rd Legislative district to replace former state Rep. Mike Zabel (D., Delaware), who resigned in March following accusations of sexual harassment. The other is in the 108th Legislative district in the Susquehanna Valley, which was held by former Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R., Northumberland) until she resigned after winning a state Senate seat.
The month of February began with much anticipation for the three February 7 special elections in Allegheny County that would ultimately determine control of the PA State House, thus ending a weeks-long standstill in the chamber — and by extension, the entire legislative branch. During this time, House Speaker Mark Rozzi continued his statewide listening tour to solicit feedback from constituents throughout Pennsylvania, many of whom expressed frustration and disappointment with the partisan gridlock in Harrisburg.
As early campaign finance reports indicated, Democratic candidates won all three special elections, making campaign and party staffer Joe McAndrew, attorney Abigail Salisbury, and McKeesport political fixture Matt Gergely the state’s newest House Representatives in Districts 32, 34, and 35, respectively. The three representatives filled seat vacancies left by the late longtime state Representative Tony DeLuca, U.S. Representative Summer Lee, and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis. These elections gave Democrats a one-vote majority in the House for the first time in 12 years. Representatives McAndrew, Salisbury, and Gergely were officially sworn in on February 21.
On February 24, the state House approved legislation in Special Session that had been at the top of House Speaker Mark Rozzi’s priority list and would open a two-year window for sexual abuse victims whose statute of limitations has expired to file lawsuits. A few days later, on February 28, Speaker Rozzi officially stepped down as Speaker, paving the way for the House to elect Representative Joanna McClinton to the House speakership in a 102-99 vote. She is the first female and second Black person to serve in the role. Shortly after her swearing in, House Democrats formally announced their leadership team:
On February 27, Lynda Schlegel Culver resigned her position in the House in order to be sworn in as the new Senator for District 27 — increasing both Senate Republicans’ majority and House Republicans’ minority. Senator Culver fills a vacancy left by former Senator John Gordner, who left his seat to take on a new role in the office of Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward. A special election to fill Senator Culver’s former seat in the House has not yet been called.
On March 1, the House finally passed its operating rules for the two-year term. The rules are a bit different than previous terms as changes include:
The Pennsylvania Film Industry (PAFIA) was honored to be a guest at the Shapiro-Davis Inauguration events that took place on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. PAFIA Chair, David Haddad, proudly represented the organization along with Maeve Palmieri at the events in Harrisburg.
David and Maeve's participation was sponsored by Haddad's Inc. The Inaugural Celebration at Rock Lititz was a high-energy event with several Pennsylvania eateries keeping the food and beverages flowing throughout the evening. Artists native to Pennsylvania performed and there were approximately 3,000 people in attendance, including several friends of PAFIA. Our lobbyist, Jim Davis, Film Caucus chairs, Senator Camera Bartolotta, Senator Jay Costa, and Representative Joe Ciresi were all in attendance.
PAFIA is excited to kick off this new year, and we plan to meet with new legislators in the coming months to educate them on the value of the Film Tax Credit. A benefit to being a PAFIA member is that you receive regular updates regarding the Film Tax Credit from our Lobbyist each month.
To become a member, sign up using the link below.
Become a PAFIA Member
Make a Donation to PAFIA
The PA House continues to be at standstill since the Democrats and Republicans were not able to agree to operating rules for the chamber. As such no legislative standing committees can be established and bills cannot officially be introduced. Speaker Mark Rozzi (D-Berks) has embarked on a statewide listening tour to meet with the public and good government groups to address the gridlock and invited members of the Speaker’s Workgroup to Move Pennsylvania Forward to join him.
Many insiders believe the outcome of the three special elections (House Districts 32, 34 and 35) scheduled for Tuesday, February 7 will finally end the stalemate. With the Commonwealth Court’s ruling this month that all these elections may take place in February, it is anticipated that the Democrats will regain their seated majority in the House. Right now, the House is not set to return to session until Monday, February 27 and a more detailed session schedule for the rest of the spring has yet been released.
In the meantime, the House R’s have basically thrown their hands up in the air and named their standing committee chairs even though the committees have not been set up. A list of those committee chairs can be found here. At least one of the Republican chairs will change soon as Rep Linda Culver, named as the Republican Chair for the House Children and Youth Committee, is the front runner for the state Senate seat vacated by Republican Sen John Gordner’s retirement. The special election for that seat was Tuesday, Jan 31.
The Senate has started the new legislative term in a more conventional manner. Chamber rules have been passed, committee chairs have been named, bills have started to be introduced and the chamber has even voted on a few pieces of legislation. The Senate session schedule has changed a bit due to the pause on the Larry Krasner impeachment proceedings and the lack of legislative action in the House. The updated Senate schedule can be found below.
January 3, 6 (NV), 9, 10, 11, 17, 18 February 27, 28 March 1, 6, 7, 8 April 24, 25, 26 May 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 June 5, 6, 7, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
Governor Josh Shapiro and Lt. Governor Austin Davis have both sworn into office. Members of Shapiro’s cabinet who will require Senate confirmation have all been official nominated for their respective offices so that lengthy process can begin. Attached to this email is a list of Shapiro’s executive leadership team along with brief biographies.
Governor Shapiro has signed several new executive orders, most of which follow up on promises made during the campaign.
This holiday season we are looking back at 2022 with a deep sense of gratitude and hope of the future for the Pennsylvania film community. This year, after months, and years, of advocating for the Film Production Tax Credit, we finally saw our efforts succeed and the program was raised to $100 million. This was a huge win for the state of Pennsylvania and everyone involved in the PA film and television industry. Your support has been invaluable to this organization, and we hope to continue to propel the film community forward with you by our side.
For 2023, our sights are set to increase the film industry incentive to potentially $500 million. Even though we were able to raise the tax credit program by $30 million to $100 million, Pennsylvania still turns down projects and work for our local crew. This leaves billions of dollars of economic activity on the table for Pennsylvania, as well as missed opportunities for our local businesses.
Our mission for the first three months of 2023 is to meet with legislators from the House, Senate, and Executive branch to educate them on the benefits of the Film Production Tax Credit Program.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
This year, we are asking our PAFIA Members to GET INVOLVED. There are many ways, big and small, that you can get involved to keep our community strong and active in Harrisburg.
Anyone can be a member of PAFIA, and the stronger our membership numbers are, the more visibility the film industry has with our legislators. Now is the time to invite your friends, family, and colleagues to join with you! More information regarding PAFIA membership opportunities can be found on our website at www.pafia.org/joinus.
In Closing
Each year, we must thank those who have championed the cause to keep and expand the Film industry in the state of Pennsylvania.
First, I would like to thank the 1,087 active PAFIA Members who have renewed their membership in 2022. Out of the 1,087 active members, 719 of those members are from our generous Sponsors and Corporate members who have donated between $500-$15,000.
Second, a huge thank you to the bi-partisan Film Caucus, led by Senators Camera Bartolotta (R) and Jay Costa (D) and Representatives Joe Ciresi (D) and Kathleen "KC" Tomlinson (R) that worked tirelessly to ensure this increase was included in this year’s budget cycle.
Next, a sincere thank you to our lobbyists, Jim Davis and Beth Brennan, with Cozen O’Connor and our management company, Kassalen Meetings and Events, in particular our Administrative Director, Jennifer Iams and our Social Media Director, Jaymie Macek. You are the spinal cord to the organization and our successes are directly tied to your successes. Your work to move our agenda forward has never been more valuable.
Finally, thank you to the 21 volunteers on the PAFIA Board from all around the state who give their time and money to this organization. We are always looking to expand our Board with people who can give the organization time, prestige, and money to keep us strong and active in Harrisburg.
There is a lot of work to do in 2023, and we appreciate your support every step of the way.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
Sincerely,
David Haddad Chairman, The Pennsylvania Film Industry Association (PAFIA)
Pennsylvania Film Industry Association (PAFIA)461 Cochran Road, Box 246Pittsburgh, PA 15228(717) 833-4561 info@pafia.org
Pennsylvania Film Industry Association (PAFIA)Pennsylvania Film Industry Association (PAFIA)